1968 Ford Escort vs. 1969 Lotus Elan
To start off, 1969 Lotus Elan is newer by 1 year(s). Which means there will be less support and parts availability for 1968 Ford Escort. In addition, the cost of maintenance, including insurance, on 1968 Ford Escort would be higher. Both 1968 Ford Escort and 1969 Lotus Elan are equipped with a 1,558 cc engine. In terms of performance, 1969 Lotus Elan (118 HP @ 6000 RPM) has 10 more horse power than 1968 Ford Escort. (108 HP @ 6000 RPM) In normal driving conditions, 1969 Lotus Elan should accelerate faster than 1968 Ford Escort. With that said, vehicle weight also plays an important factor in acceleration. 1969 Lotus Elan weights approximately 127 kg more than 1968 Ford Escort. So despite on having greater horse power, its additional weight may have an impact towards its acceleration in comparison.
Both vehicles are rear wheel drive (RWD) - it offers better handling in dry conditions; in addition, if you are looking to drift, both vehicles do the job better than front wheel drive vehicles. With that said, do keep in mind that many other factors such as speed and the wear on your tires can also have significant impact on traction and control. Let's talk about torque, 1969 Lotus Elan (146 Nm @ 4000 RPM) has 2 more torque (in Nm) than 1968 Ford Escort. (144 Nm @ 4500 RPM). This means 1969 Lotus Elan will have an easier job in driving up hills or pulling heavy equipment than 1968 Ford Escort.
Compare all specifications:
| 1968 Ford Escort | 1969 Lotus Elan | |
| Make | Ford | Lotus |
| Model | Escort | Elan |
| Year Released | 1968 | 1969 |
| Engine Position | Front | Front |
| Engine Size | 1558 cc | 1558 cc |
| Engine Cylinders | 4 cylinders | 4 cylinders |
| Engine Type | in-line | in-line |
| Valves per Cylinder | 4 valves | 2 valves |
| Horse Power | 108 HP | 118 HP |
| Engine RPM | 6000 RPM | 6000 RPM |
| Torque | 144 Nm | 146 Nm |
| Torque RPM | 4500 RPM | 4000 RPM |
| Engine Bore Size | 82.6 mm | 82.6 mm |
| Engine Stroke Size | 72.8 mm | 72.8 mm |
| Engine Compression Ratio | 9.5:1 | 9.5:1 |
| Top Speed | 182 km/hour | 190 km/hour |
| Drive Type | Rear | Rear |
| Transmission Type | Manual | Manual |
| Number of Seats | 5 seats | 4 seats |
| Number of Doors | 4 doors | 2 doors |
| Vehicle Weight | 762 kg | 889 kg |
| Vehicle Length | 3980 mm | 4300 mm |
| Vehicle Width | 1580 mm | 1680 mm |
| Vehicle Height | 1360 mm | 1200 mm |
| Wheelbase Size | 2410 mm | 2440 mm |
| Fuel Tank Capacity | 87 L | 59 L |
